Exercise

A new study offers reassuring evidence for fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious readers: exercising up to nine hours per week is safe for the heart and improves cardiovascular fitness. The findings challenge earlier concerns that high volumes of endurance activity might be risky, and they come at a time when Thailand is pushing for more active living to combat rising heart disease rates.

Public health in Thailand has long emphasized regular activity as a cornerstone of prevention. In a country where cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death, a clearer understanding of safe exercise levels helps people plan sustainable routines. Urban Thai communities—from Bangkok to Chiang Mai—face busy schedules and sedentary patterns, making practical, safe guidance especially important.

A recent study from the Capital University of Physical Education and Sports in Beijing has drawn global attention by showing that the order of workouts may influence fat loss, especially visceral fat linked to heart disease and other chronic conditions. For Thai readers, these findings offer practical insights to optimize gym routines with science-backed strategies.

The study, announced in mid-June 2025, followed 45 overweight men aged 18-30 over 12 weeks. Participants were assigned to three groups: cycling before resistance training, resistance training before cycling, or continuing their usual activity as a control. After three months, both exercise groups lost weight and gained muscle, but the weights-first group achieved notably greater reductions in total and visceral fat.

A new study led by researchers at the Capital University of Physical Education and Sports in Beijing has sparked interest worldwide, suggesting that the order in which we exercise may make a substantial difference in fat loss—especially the harmful visceral fat associated with heart disease and other chronic illnesses. For Thai readers seeking to optimise their gym routines or find science-backed weight management strategies, these findings shed light on simple tweaks that could lead to more effective fat burning and better health outcomes.

A groundbreaking international clinical trial has revealed that a structured exercise regimen after cancer treatment can significantly lower the risk of recurrence and overall mortality, equaling—and even surpassing—the impact of conventional pharmaceutical therapies. This new research, presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has rapidly shifted medical opinion and could transform after-care protocols for cancer survivors around the world, including those in Thailand.

A major international trial shows that a structured, coach-led exercise program after colon cancer treatment can lower recurrence risk and reduce overall mortality. Presented at ASCO 2025 and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the study suggests exercise can match—or even exceed—the benefits of certain cancer drugs, while offering the well-known perks of physical activity. The findings have immediate implications for cancer survivors in Thailand as well as globally.

A US medical research project has secured a $3.4 million grant to test a simple idea: prescribing exercise as part of routine healthcare to prevent and treat chronic diseases. Findings from this study could guide Thailand as it faces rising rates of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

The NIH funding supports the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville’s Exercise is Medicine Greenville program. The initiative connects patients with chronic conditions to accessible, community-based activities at local YMCAs, aiming to weave physical activity referrals into primary care. Researchers will measure referral rates, cost-effectiveness, and impacts on blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight. The project unites USC School of Medicine Greenville, Prisma Health, the YMCA of Greenville, and Foothills Area YMCA, reflecting a strong alliance between medical and community partners. Research coverage notes that this work underscores the idea that consistent physical activity can prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic diseases.

A groundbreaking US medical research project has received a $3.4 million boost to study a simple but powerful idea: how prescribed exercise, woven into healthcare routines, can prevent and treat chronic diseases. The findings from this ambitious study could offer valuable lessons for Thailand, where non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are major public health challenges with rapidly rising rates.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the University of South Carolina (USC) School of Medicine Greenville a substantial grant to investigate their innovative program—Exercise is Medicine Greenville. The program centers on connecting patients with chronic conditions to accessible, community-based activities like those at local YMCAs, aiming to integrate physical activity referrals directly into primary healthcare settings. The research will focus on evaluating referral rates, analyzing cost-effectiveness, and assessing impact on key health metrics including blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight. The collaboration includes USC School of Medicine Greenville, Prisma Health, YMCA of Greenville, and Foothills Area YMCA, reflecting a close partnership between medical and community organizations (Greenville News).

New findings suggest that boosting weekly moderate activity to about five hours significantly lowers the risk of hypertension later in life. The study tracked more than 5,000 adults for three decades and found that sustained, higher levels of activity reduced high blood pressure, especially when begun in early adulthood and carried into later years. The result challenges some traditional guidelines and carries important implications for health in Thailand.

Hypertension remains a major health challenge in Thailand. The World Health Organization reports that roughly one in four Thai adults live with high blood pressure, a condition that raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia in later life. Data from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health shows that awareness and treatment rates remain uneven, underscoring the need for effective prevention strategies.

A major new study has revealed that adults looking to stave off high blood pressure—a key risk factor for heart disease—may need to do twice as much exercise as current global health guidelines suggest. While many Thais may believe the standard recommendation of 150 minutes per week is sufficient, findings published by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco and reported in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine underscore that five hours, or 300 minutes, of moderate activity weekly is the new target for effectively lowering hypertension risk (Earth.com).

Recent research sheds new light on how much exercise is truly necessary to effectively prevent high blood pressure, challenging long-standing official recommendations and offering new insights with important implications for the Thai public. A study tracking over 5,000 adults for three decades has found that individuals who consistently completed about five hours of moderate physical activity each week — double the current guidelines — saw a substantial reduction in their risk of hypertension as they aged, especially if these habits were sustained into their later years (ScienceAlert).

The belief that pushing yourself to the limit is the key to getting fit is common in Thailand and worldwide, but recent research suggests this approach may be more myth than fact. According to a leading professor of exercise physiology, the most effective path to fitness is not about working out harder, but about training smarter, understanding recovery, and making gradual progress—a lesson with broad implications for health-conscious Thais seeking sustainable results (Fit & Well).

A major new study suggests Thais may need to aim for more than the standard 150 minutes of weekly activity. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, reporting in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that 300 minutes (five hours) of moderate activity weekly could more effectively cut hypertension risk.

Hypertension remains a growing concern in Thailand, where about one in four adults are affected. The condition contributes to strokes, heart attacks, kidney disease, and other health problems. The new guidance comes as stress, urban living, and sedentary work patterns push up blood pressure levels. Public health experts say increasing daily movement is essential to prevent complications later in life.

Smart training, not sheer effort, is the path to sustainable fitness. A leading exercise physiologist notes that progress hinges on intelligent programming, adequate recovery, and steady milestones—lessons that resonate with health-conscious readers in Thailand seeking lasting results.

In Thai fitness culture, the mantra “no pain, no gain” remains popular, echoed by trainers and gym ads across the country. Yet a UK-based professor argues that pushing intensity without recovery can undermine long-term health. For beginners and anyone aiming for durable results, the emphasis should be on method, not misery.

A new wave of expert-backed recommendations is challenging the traditional set of core workouts, urging women to look beyond the classic crunches and planks. According to leading fitness and physiotherapy professionals, a diverse approach to core training—spanning from breathwork to resistance-loaded movements—offers the most significant health benefits and functionality for women across all life stages. This latest guidance is especially relevant for Thai women seeking effective, safe ways to build core strength tailored to their unique health needs and cultural routines (Well+Good).

Recent guidance from fitness and physiotherapy professionals urges women to diversify core training beyond crunches and planks. A varied approach—combining breathwork, isometric holds, and resistance movements—offers the strongest health benefits and daily functionality for women at every life stage. This perspective resonates with Thai readers seeking safe, effective ways to build core strength within their routines and cultural realities.

Core strength matters beyond appearance. Experts emphasize pelvic floor health, better balance, improved posture, and bladder control. These benefits support women through menstrual cycles, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and menopause. In Thai communities juggling childcare and work, stronger cores mean lower back protection and greater daily stability, reducing injury risk during multitasking.

A groundbreaking “mega-study” has delivered some of the strongest evidence yet that regular physical exercise sharpens thinking, memory, and mental focus across all ages and health conditions—a finding with sweeping implications for families, students, and Thailand’s rapidly aging population. Drawing on an unprecedented review of more than 2,700 clinical trials, the study, published recently in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that nearly everyone—children, adults, older people, and those with health challenges—reaped cognitive benefits from exercise routines as simple as walking, yoga, or dance (PsyPost).

A large-scale review now strengthens the case that regular physical activity sharpens thinking, memory, and focus for people of all ages. The findings are especially relevant for Thailand’s growing aging population and for families seeking non-drug ways to support student learning. In short, walking, yoga, or dancing can meaningfully boost brain health across the life course.

Leading researchers synthesized data from 133 high-quality reviews and meta-analyses, covering 2,724 randomized trials with more than 258,000 participants aged 7 to 89. The studies looked at healthy people and those with cognitive challenges, ADHD, depression, stroke, or neurological conditions. The umbrella review explored aerobic workouts, resistance training, dance, yoga, Tai Chi, and even active video games that require movement.

Is running really bad for your knees? For decades, runners in Thailand and around the globe have worried that pounding the pavement might slowly wear out their joints, setting the stage for arthritis and chronic pain. But new scientific evidence and recent expert insights are flipping this narrative on its head, suggesting that running may be not only safe for your knees, but could actually strengthen them and reduce your risk of osteoarthritis—if done correctly and with mindful preparation.

New research and expert consensus show resistance training—weights, bands, and body-weight exercises—as a powerful tool to counter aging. For Thais over 50, lifting and pulling against resistance can preserve muscle, strengthen bones, improve metabolism, and support cognitive function. This aligns with growing clinical emphasis on practical, scalable programs for older adults in Thailand.

In a country with rapidly aging demographics, staying active is a given, but experts say the activity type matters most. Thai health professionals are increasingly endorsing muscle-strengthening routines as essential to preventing sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and even neurodegenerative conditions. Village exercise groups and clinical trials are testing simple, scalable ways to bring resistance work into everyday life, from community centers to local hospitals.

New research challenges the long-held belief that running damages knees. Across Thailand and beyond, experts say regular running, when done correctly, can support joint health and reduce the risk of osteoarthritis, not cause it. With mindful preparation, running can strengthen bones and improve overall mobility for a rapidly ageing population.

For years, many Thais avoided running due to fears of knee wear and tear. In a country with vibrant outdoor fitness culture — Bangkok’s many parks, seaside runs, and the growing Bangkok Marathon — these concerns had social consequences. Now, global and local studies point the other way: staying active benefits joints, provided there are no pre-existing joint conditions. Research and clinical perspectives emphasize cardiovascular gains along with potential improvements in bone and joint health.

New research and expert consensus identify resistance training—weight lifting, resistance bands, and related exercises—as one of the most effective tools to counteract the effects of aging, especially for individuals over 50. Health practitioners and an increasing number of published studies suggest that resistance training not only preserves muscle mass and strength but also improves bone density, metabolic health, and cognitive function, potentially transforming how Thais approach healthy aging (Yahoo! Lifestyle).

A growing body of research points to a simple yet powerful tool for healthy, resilient brains: regular exercise. A recent Lancet article on neuroprotective mechanisms of exercise highlights the scientific consensus that physical activity protects the ageing brain and can slow cognitive decline. This finding is particularly timely for Thailand, where the population is rapidly ageing and dementia risk rises.

Thailand is entering a “super-aged” era. By 2031, more than 28% of Thais are expected to be over 60. With cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease on the rise, affordable, accessible strategies to protect brain health are urgently needed. Evidence now suggests that regular moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity could be among the most effective and equitable interventions.

A growing body of evidence is pointing towards a powerful tool in the quest for a healthy, resilient brain: regular exercise. A recent article published in The Lancet, “Neuroprotective mechanisms of exercise and the importance of fitness for healthy brain ageing,” highlights the robust scientific consensus emerging around physical activity’s unique ability to protect the ageing brain and ward off cognitive decline. This research is highly relevant for Thai readers, especially as Thailand’s population rapidly ages and the risks associated with dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases climb.

A new wave of scientific discussion has emerged following recent statements by a prominent biochemist regarding cardiovascular exercise—a topic of growing interest among health-conscious Thais. According to Dr. Rhonda Patrick, widely known for her research-based health communication, the fashionable “Zone 2” cardio workouts, popularised for their heart-health benefits, may not be enough if enhancing overall fitness and longevity is the goal. Instead, she urges the integration of higher intensity training to efficiently boost VO2 max, a critical measure of cardiorespiratory health (Men’s Fitness; Daily Healthways; Pure Vitality Echo).